BOOM Cards and CVI: 4 Benefits of Using BOOM Cards for Kids with CVI

I can’t believe it’s been over two years since the pandemic started, school pivoted to virtual learning, and digital activities became so popular! One of the online platforms that many classrooms and teachers began to use is BOOM Learning. BOOM Learning allows students to access and complete a variety of activities, known as BOOM Cards. There are many benefits to using BOOM cards for kids with CVI. Within this blog post, I will discuss four. 

1. What is the first benefit of using BOOM Cards for kids with CVI? Backlighting!

As some may know, one of the features of CVI is the need for light. Backlighting is a built-in feature of laptops, computer screens, iPads, and tablets. It refers to the way that light comes from behind the screen, rather than being projected to the front of the screen. When BOOM cards are completed on these devices, the BOOM cards will be backlit. Backlighting can be very beneficial for kids with CVI to aid in engagement and visual processing. 

2. Movement

A second characteristic of cortical visual impairment is the need for movement. A student with CVI often finds things that move or appear to move to be more engaging than things that do not. Some BOOM cards include features that move such as GIFs or videos. Having these features in BOOM cards can make them more engaging for students. The movement can also aid in visual recognition and visual scanning. Movement is a feature that can be more challenging to accomplish with printed activities. Want to check out some of my animated BOOM cards designed for students with CVI? Click here!

Benefit Number 3…Fun!

BOOM cards can offer students a break from traditional tabletop activities. We know that all students benefit from concepts being taught using a variety of activities and teaching methods. BOOM Cards are FUN, which is another benefit to using BOOM Cards for kids with CVI. They can be a fun addition to various math, language arts, and reading lessons! Also, some BOOM cards often look like or have some similar elements to games. This can make them more engaging for all students, including those with cortical visual impairment. 

4. Differentiated Activities

Some BOOM cards offer various versions/levels. This means that multiple students can benefit from the same BOOM Card activity. It also means that a single student may be able to move through the different versions as skills are gained. Typically, these versions are easily accessed from the title page. For example, my visual scanning BOOM cards include versions for large and small icons. This allows students who are working on large targets and smaller targets to both benefit from this resource. Furthermore, some of my adapted book BOOM cards require students to drag and drop, while others require a touch with a pointer finger, mouse, switch, etc. Want to check out my BOOM cards which are designed for students with CVI? Click here!

Now one question remains…are BOOM cards for every student? 

Just like other teaching strategies, BOOM cards are not for every student and can’t be used to teach all skills. They do however offer an additional teaching strategy for students with CVI and other visual impairments. 

BOOM Cards are a fun way to teach shapes! Learn more here!